“It’s still a source of regret to me that I didn’t insist that Mitoma” A former research director recalls his time at Liverpool

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“It’s still a source of regret to me that I didn’t insist that Mitoma" A former research director recalls his time at Liverpool Transfers

Since Fenway Sports Group (FSG) took over Liverpool, the club has developed as a sports business. 

Although the club has been criticised for its low investment compared to other top clubs, sound management is also a feature and the club does not enter into competitions for ridiculous amounts of money beyond the players’ capabilities.

In recent years, the academy has been strengthened. Players such as Harvey Elliott and Conor Bradley have been born and established in the first team, and there is friendly competition with local players born around Merseyside and brought up in Liverpool from an early age.

During Jurgen Klopp’s reign, a transfer committee was set up to avoid the arbitrary reinforcements of a few, and the probability of big misses has been greatly reduced thanks to the consensus of the manager, who knows the scene, the management team, who knows the financial situation, and the scouting team, which knows the characteristics of the players.

Ian Graham, a data analyst and research director at Liverpool from 2012 to 2023, has written his own book, How to Win the Premier League: The Inside Story of Football’s Data Revolution. in his book ‘How to Win the Premier League: The Inside Story of Football’s Data Revolution’, wrote that he regretted not doing his best to persuade the club to sign Japanese international Kaoru Mitoma.

“At Liverpool we admired both Brentford and Brighton’s signings, though we never told them that,”

“Me and my colleague Daf Steele used to keep lists of players who looked outstanding in their domestic leagues but were either not quite good enough for Liverpool or played in a style that didn’t fit our.”

“Brighton also signed players on our radar. Pascal Gross performed at an above-average Premier League level while playing in the second division of the Bundesliga, and has played at that level for years for Brighton. Enock Mwepu was the best young midfielder in Austria.”

“Marc Cucurella was easily a Premier League level player while playing in Spain, and when Chelsea paid a barely credible £62 million to sign him, Brighton immediately replaced him with the only young full-back in Spain who rated at a similar level, Pervis Estupinan.”

“Kaoru Mitoma was the best player in Japan, rating above the Premier League average,”

“It was very rare for us to rate a player in Japan anywhere near Premier League level.”

“It’s still a source of regret to me that I didn’t insist that Mitoma be more seriously considered as a potential Liverpool signing.”

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